1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a cooking composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cooking composition having high contents of ethanol and flavor components. The cooking composition which is derived from a fermented malt beverage is useful as a seasoning for providing excellent flavor and taste to foods.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Beer is a product derived from the fermentation of a wort, which has a flavor and bitter taste from hops and which causes a thirst quenching sensation. Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage. Conventionally, various fermented liquors such as a wine, a mirin (seasoning sweet sake) and a refined sake are used as seasonings for cooking. By the use of the above-mentioned fermented liquors for cooking, the following effects can be obtained:
(1) the effect for improving the flavor and taste of a food due to the natural volatile components of the liquor, PA0 (2) the masking effect of an undesirable smell of a food, PA0 (3) the effect of increasing the gloss and glaze of a food due to the extract components of the liquor, PA0 (4) the effect of giving a roast flavor by heating to a food, and PA0 (5) the effect of prolonging the preservable period of a food due to the ethanol present.
Beer has the excellent flavor and taste characteristic of a fermented malt beverage. Its flavor and taste characteristics are derived from a wort that is an infusion of a malt extract and they are not possessed by the above-mentioned other types of fermented liquors. Therefore, beer is also expected to be capable of being used as a seasoning for cooking. A regular beer is available on the market. However, the concentrations of the extract components of the regular beer are limited so as not to spoil the crispness of the beer as an alcoholic beverage. For example, the total nitrogen content is not more than 800 ppm and the carbohydrate content is not more than 5 w/v%. Further, the ethanol content of a regular beer is as low as about 4 to 5 %. Such regular beers do not have the above-mentioned cooking effects. Moreover, the taste from hops is too strong for beer to be used as a seasoning.
Heretofore, a method for producing beer by high gravity brewing in which a high concentration beer is obtained as an intermediate product is known. As to this method, reference may be made to, for example, The Brewers Digest, vol. 51, June, p.34 (1976). High gravity brewing is a method in which a high concentration wort is fermented to obtain a high concentration beer. The high concentration beer is then diluted with water in order to obtain a beer comparable to a regular beer with respect to not only alcoholic content and extract component concentrations but also flavor and taste. The above-mentioned high gravity brewing method is advantageous from the standpoint of economy because a beer having properties comparable to those of a regular beer can be produced at low cost.
On the other hand, the high gravity brewing method is also used for producing the so-called light beer (Japanese patent application laid-open specification Nos. 56-121482 and 56-148281). Light beer has extract component concentrations and an alcoholic content which are less than those of a regular beer, but has a flavor and taste comparable to those of a regular beer. Particularly, light beer is produced by blending a high concentration beer prepared by the high gravity brewing method and a low concentration beer prepared from a wort having low extract component contents.
As apparent from the above, the high concentration beer is obtained as an intermediate. The high concentration beer is prepared by fermenting a wort having an extract concentration as high as 14.degree. to 18.degree. P. The high concentration beer contains ethanol, esters, extract components, etc. in relatively large amounts as compared to a regular beer. However, even the amounts of the ethanol, esters, extract components, etc. contained in the high concentration beer are not sufficient for exerting the above-mentioned cooking effects. Accordingly, neither the commercially available regular beer nor the above-mentioned high concentration beer is suitable for use as a seasoning for cooking.